Furniture slide assemblies and method of use

ABSTRACT

A furniture slide assembly and its method of use are disclosed for positioning the furniture slide between an object to be moved and the floor upon which the object is moved. The furniture slide comprises a main body having an inner portion and outer surface. The inner portion forms a concave surface for receiving the object to be moved and at least a portion of the outer surface is in contact with the floor when inserted between the floor and the object to be moved. An apex is centrally located about the outer portion from which the inner portion and outer surface converge. A peripheral edge surrounds an outer perimeter of the main body and a thumb tab upwardly extends from the peripheral edge vertically that is extended from the floor for locating and manipulating the furniture slide assembly between the floor and the object to be moved.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to furniture slide assemblies and a method of use, more specifically, furniture slide assemblies positioned between an object to be moved and over the flooring in which the object is to be moved.

BACKGROUND

In the moving industry, it is quite usual to face the situation of having to move large, heavy, and sometimes awkwardly shaped objects such as furniture within the confines of buildings. The movement of large objects and furniture are not limited to the venue of commercial buildings, but equally experienced in residential settings with interest in relocating furniture to achieve a new floor plan or moving the furniture or large objects to a new home. Other occurrences arise from office downsizing, team wiring upgrades, etc. that frequently mandate office reconfigurations requiring that the furniture be moved or rotated. Furniture is also frequently moved for example, in healthcare and educational facilities for cleaning. In these instances, as in the installation of modular carpet, it is desirable to move the furniture quickly, with the least possible effort and, preferably, after hours with a limited number of workers.

Office equipment is usually moved with a hand truck, four-wheel dolly, or the like and can take several individuals working together. The work is hard, labor expensive and injuries occur. Other furniture, such as workstations, computers, etc. are also difficult to move. The preferable method of moving the heavy objects is for professional movers to pick the object up and carry it by hand, but this is not always an economically feasible or a possible arrangement because of the lack or cost of labor.

SUMMARY

One example embodiment of the present disclosure includes a furniture slide assembly for positioning the furniture slide between an object to be moved and the floor upon which the object is moved. The furniture slide comprises a main body having an inner portion and outer surface. The inner portion forms a concave surface for receiving the object to be moved and at least a portion of the outer surface is in contact with the floor when inserted between the floor and the object to be moved. The furniture slide further comprises an apex centrally located about the outer portion from which the inner portion and outer surface converge. A peripheral edge surrounds an outer perimeter of the main body and a thumb tab upwardly extends from the peripheral edge vertically that is extended from the floor for locating and manipulating the furniture slide assembly between the floor and the object to be moved.

Another example embodiment of the present disclosure includes a method of moving an object across a floor in a commercial or residential setting. The method comprises the steps of grasping a furniture slide assembly by a thumb tab with one hand of an operator contributing to the movement of an object across the floor and raising at least one edge, side, or leg of an object to be moved across of the floor. The method further comprises inserting the furniture slide assembly between the object to be moved and the flooring in which the object is to be moved and axially positioning the furniture slide assembly between the edge, side, or leg of the object to be moved such that the object is substantially centrally positioned over the furniture slide assembly. The method also comprises the step of lowering the at least one edge, side, or leg of an object to be moved across the floor onto the furniture slide assembly.

A further example embodiment of the present disclosure includes a furniture slide assembly for positioning between an object to be moved and the floor upon which the object is moved in a commercial or residential setting. The furniture slide assembly comprises a main body having an inner portion and outer surface. The inner portion forms a concave surface for receiving the object to be moved and the outer surface forms a corresponding convex surface having at least a portion in contact with the floor when inserted between the floor and the object to be moved. An apex is centrally located about the outer portion from which the inner portion and outer surface converge. A peripheral edge surrounds an outer perimeter of the main body. The furniture slide assembly further comprises a thumb tab having upper and lower surfaces having a plurality of curvilinear ribs for facilitating gripping by the mover during installation. The thumb tab upwardly extends from the peripheral edge and is vertically extended from the floor for locating and manipulating the furniture slide assembly between the floor and the object to be moved. The thumb tab further comprises an arcuate profile with the main body to provide strength to the construct of the thumb tab. An intermediate surface is located along the outer surface of the main body. The intermediate surface extends outwardly to the peripheral edge to form a substantially horizontal region. The centrally located apex of the outer surface diverges outwardly to the intermediate surface along the main body at an angle. The angle minimizes the friction between the furniture slide and floor during the movement of the object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art to which the present invention relates upon consideration of the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawings unless otherwise noted and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slide assembly constructed in accordance with one example embodiment of the present disclosure inserted beneath a floor contact portion of an object to be moved;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a slide assembly constructed in accordance with another example embodiment of the present disclosure to be inserted beneath a floor contact portion of an object to be moved;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a slide assembly constructed in accordance with one exemplary example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the exemplary example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 along section lines 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a slide assembly constructed in accordance with another exemplary example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a sectional side view of the exemplary example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 along section lines 6-6;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a slide assembly constructed in accordance with another exemplary example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of the exemplary example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 along section lines 8-8; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional end view of the exemplary example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 along section lines 9-9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure provides for furniture slide assemblies and a method of use, and more specifically, furniture slide assemblies at least partially positioned between an object to be moved and over the flooring in which the object is to be moved such that the object can be easily moved.

Conventional furniture supports that are placed under a leg of a chair or furniture to support the furniture in a stationary position are typically 1″ to 3″ in size. The construct of the exemplary embodiments of the furniture slide assemblies of the present disclosure are targeted toward moving large objects and in contrast are 5″ to 10″ in size. And as discussed below, the exemplary embodiment furniture slides have specially designed geometrical profiles that allow heavy furniture or large objects to more easily traverse numerous types of flooring surfaces, including carpet, tile, linoleum, laminate, hardwood, rugged surfaces, and the like.

In addition to the size and specially designed geometrical profiles, the construct of the exemplary embodiments of the furniture slide assemblies of the present disclosure include thumb tabs that allow a person to easily manipulate the slide during installation between the object and the floor. The manipulation ability provided by the thumb tabs allow the person to conveniently position the furniture slide in the desired orientation for moving the object or furniture and further reduces the risk of pinching the hand or fingers during insertion.

Referring to the figures, and in particular FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a furniture slide assembly 10 constructed in accordance with one example embodiment of the disclosure being inserted and manipulated by a hand 12 of a person under an object 14 to be moved. In the illustrated embodiment, a round furniture slide assembly 16 is depicted being positioned between the floor 18 and the bottom of a leg 20 of the object 14. While the illustrated embodiment depicts the object 14 to be moved having legs, the furniture slide assemblies are equally designed to move large objects with or without legs, such as items having an edge or side, e.g., a file cabinet (not shown) without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. During the moving operation, a single furniture slide assembly can be used or multiple slides under various legs and/or edges of the object 14 to be moved.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the furniture slide assembly 10 includes a thumb tab 22 being gripped by the person's hand 12 between the person's thumb 24 and finger 26. The thumb tab 22 in addition to reducing the risk of pinching the hand or finger of the person installing the furniture slide assembly 10 during high stress situations (elevated typically by the contemporaneous lifting of the object 14) also provides the ability to easily manipulate the orientation of the furniture slide assembly. The thumb tab 22 of the furniture slide assembly 10 provides for both centering axially (indicated by Arrows A) and rotationally (indicated by Arrows R) such that the furniture slide is properly located (axially) under the object 14 to be moved and oriented (rotationally) in a direction most desirable for moving.

Illustrated in FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a furniture slide assembly 10 constructed in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure comprising a square furniture slide assembly 28. The square furniture slide assembly 28 also comprises a thumb tab 30 that provides all the features and advantages described above with respect to the found furniture slide assembly 16 for manipulating and orienting the slide by a person's hand during installation.

Referring now to FIG. 3 is a top view of the round furniture slide assembly 16. The top view of FIG. 3 along with sectional side view provided in FIG. 4 about section lines 4-4 in FIG. 3, illustrate the radial extension of the thumb tab 22 from a main body 32 of the round furniture slide assembly 16. The main body 32 comprises an inner portion 34 having a dual level surface, transitioning from a substantially horizontal surface to a concave surface that is in contact with the object 14 to be moved. The main body 32 also comprises an outer surface 36 having a multi-level surface, transitioning from a substantially horizontal surface to a convex surface having at least a portion in contact with the floor 18.

The thumb tab 22 further forms an upwardly extending arcuate profile 38 with a lower portion 40 of the main body 32, allowing a contoured fit with the operator's finger 26 or thumb 24 during installation (illustrated in FIG. 1), as well provides strength to the construct of the thumb tab. A vertical offset (“V”) (indicated by the arrows in FIG. 4) provides clearance for the person's hand 12 (finger(s) 26 and/or thumb 24) and floor 18. The thumb tab 22 further comprises a plurality of curvilinear ribs 42 along its upper and lower surfaces 44, 45, respectively to facilitate gripping by the person's hand 12 during installation.

The lower portion 40 of the main body 32 annularly forms the bottom outer surface 36 of the round furniture slide assembly 16 and conically converges from an intermediate surface 46 to a center apex 48 of the main body through an angle (“α”). The intermediate surface 46 extends radially outward to an outer periphery 49, forming a relatively horizontal region 50. The conically converging section of the lower portion 40 and relatively horizontal region 50 allows for reduced frictional contact between the round furniture slide assembly 16 and surface of the floor 18. The round furniture slide assembly 16 further comprises an annular outer ridge 52 that acts as a retainer, keeping the slide assembly from moving off the object 14 during installation.

In the illustrated example embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the angle a is between 2 and 5 degrees in an unloaded state (i.e., without the load of the object 14). Angle α is reduced when a load formed by the placement of an object 14 to be moved in the inner portion 34 of furniture slide assembly 16. The load of the object 14 to be moved increases the amount of contact between the floor 18 and the furniture slide assembly 16 and outer surface 36, while maintaining the advantages described above of the conically converging lower portion 40 and relatively horizontal region 50.

The round furniture slide assembly 16 can be made from any polymeric materials such as plastic and polyvinyl chloride (“PCV”), elastomeric materials such as molded rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate (“EVA”) foam, and the like without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. The round furniture/slide assembly further has a substantially uniform thickness (“t”) of approximately three (3) mm or one-eighth of one-inch thick material. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 3-4, the furniture slide assembly 16 is molded from textured rubber for durability and strength having a thickness of approximately two (2) millimeters. The overall size of the furniture slide assembly 16 in the illustrated embodiment is approximately six (6) inches and approximately five (5) inches in diameter in the circle formed by the outer periphery 49.

Referring now to FIG. 5 is a top view of an oval furniture slide assembly 160 constructed in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The top view of FIG. 5 along with sectional side view provided in FIG. 6 about section lines 5-5 in FIG. 5 illustrate the radial extension of thumb tab 122 from a main body 132 of the oval furniture slide assembly 160. The main body 132 comprises an inner portion 134 having a dual level surface, transitioning from a substantially horizontal surface to a concave surface that is in contact with the object 14 to be moved. The main body 132 also comprises an outer surface 136 having a multi-level surface, transitioning from a substantially horizontal surface to a convex surface having at least a portion in contact with the floor 18. The thumb tab 122 further forms an upwardly extending arcuate profile 138 with a lower portion 140 of the main body 32, allowing a contoured fit with the operator's finger 26 or thumb 24 during installation (illustrated in FIG. 1.), as well provides strength to the construct of the thumb tab. A vertical offset (“V”) (indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6) provides clearance for the person's hand 12 (finger(s) 26 and/or thumb 24) and floor 18. The thumb tab 122 further comprises a plurality of curvilinear ribs 142 along its upper and lower surfaces 144, 145, respectively to facilitate gripping by the person's hand 12 during installation.

The lower portion 140 of the main body 132 ovalarly forms the bottom outer surface 136 of the oval furniture slide assembly 160 and pyramidally converges from an intermediate surface 146 to a center apex 148 of the main body through an angle (“β”). The pyramidally converging to the center apex 148 forms four sides 150 along the lower portion 140. The intermediate surface 146 extends radially outward to an outer periphery 152, forming a relatively horizontal region 154. The pyramidally converging section of the lower portion 140 and relatively horizontal region 154 allows for reduced frictional contact between the round furniture slide assembly 16 and surface of the floor 18. Although not shown, in an alternative embodiment, the oval furniture slide 160 comprises an outer ridge circumscribing the outer periphery and extending upward that acts as a retainer, keeping the slide assembly from moving off the object 14 during installation.

In the illustrated example embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the angle β is between 2 and 5 degrees in an unloaded state (i.e., without the load of the object 14). Angle β is reduced when a load formed by the placement of an object 14 to be moved in the inner portion 134 of furniture slide assembly 160. The load of the object 14 to be moved increases the amount of contact between the floor 18 and the furniture slide assembly 160 and outer surface 136, while maintaining the advantages described above of the pyramidally converging lower portion 140 and relatively horizontal region 154.

The oval furniture slide assembly 160 can be made from any polymeric materials such as plastic, PVC, elastomeric materials such as molded rubber, EVA foam, and the like without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. The oval furniture slide assembly 160 further has a substantially uniform thickness (“t”) of approximately three (3) mm or one-eighth of one-inch thick material. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 5-6, the furniture slide assembly 160 is molded from textured rubber for durability and strength having a uniform thickness of approximately two (2) millimeters. The overall size of the furniture slide assembly 160 in the illustrated embodiment is approximately ten (10) inches in length and approximately six (6) inches in width.

Referring now to FIG. 7 is a top view of a rectangular furniture slide assembly 260 constructed in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The top view of FIG. 7 along with sectional side view provided in FIG. 8 about section lines 8-8 illustrate the radial extension of thumb tab 222 from a main body 232 of the rectangular furniture slide assembly 260. The main body 232 comprises an inner portion 234 having a dual level surface, transitioning from a substantially horizontal surface to a concave surface that is in contact with the object 14 to be moved. The main body 232 also comprises an outer surface 236 having a multi-level surface, transitioning from a substantially horizontal surface to a convex surface having at least a portion in contact with the floor 18.

The thumb tab 222 further forms an upwardly extending arcuate profile 238 with a lower portion 240 of the main body 232, allowing a contoured fit with the operator's finger 26 or thumb 24 during installation (illustrated in FIG. 1), as well provides strength to the construct of the thumb tab. A vertical offset (“V”) (indicated by the arrows in FIG. 8) provides clearance for the person's hand 12 (finger(s) 26 and/or thumb 24) and floor 18. The thumb tab 222 further comprises a plurality of curvilinear ribs 242 along its upper and lower surfaces 244, 245, respectively to facilitate gripping by the person's hand 12 during installation.

The lower portion 240 of the main body 232 forms the bottom outer surface 236 of the rectangular furniture slide assembly 260 and pyramidally converges from an intermediate surface 246 to a center apex 248 of the main body through an angle (“δ”). A wedge surface 258 is formed between first and second planes 262, 264, respectively in sectional end view of FIG. 9 formed about section lines 9-9 in FIG. 7. The planes 262, 264 form a diverging angle (“θ”) between the center apex 248 and outer periphery 252.

The pyramidally converging to the center apex 248 forms four sides 250 along the lower portion 240. The intermediate surface 246 extends radially outward to an outer periphery 252, forming a relatively horizontal region 254. The pyramidally converging lower portion 240 and relatively horizontal region 254, and wedge surface 258 allows for reduced frictional contact between the rectangular furniture slide assembly 260 and surface of the floor 18. The rectangular furniture slide assembly 260 further comprises an annular outer ridge 256 that acts as a retainer to keep the slide assembly from moving off the object 14 during installation.

In the illustrated example embodiment of FIGS. 7-9, the angle δ is between 2 and 5 degrees and angle θ is approximately 15 degrees in an unloaded state (i.e., without the load of the object 14). Angles δ and θ are reduced when a load formed by the placement of an object 14 to be moved in the inner portion 234 of furniture slide assembly 260. The load of the object 14 to be moved increases the amount of contact between the floor 18 and the furniture slide assembly 260 and outer surface 236, while maintaining the advantages described above of the pyramidally converging lower portion 240, relatively horizontal region 254, and wedge surface 258.

The rectangular furniture slide assembly 260 can be made from any polymeric materials such as plastic, PVC, elastomeric materials such as molded rubber, EVA foam, and the like without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. The square furniture slide assembly further has a substantially uniform thickness (“t”) of approximately three (3) mm or one-eighth of one-inch thick material. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 7-9, the furniture slide assembly 260 is molded from textured rubber for durability and strength having a uniform thickness of approximately two (2) millimeters. The overall size of the furniture slide assembly 260 in the illustrated embodiment is approximately ten (10) inches in length and approximately three (3) inches in width.

What have been described above are examples of the present invention. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the present invention but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the present invention are possible. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

1. A furniture slide assembly for positioning between an object to be moved and the floor upon which the object is moved comprising: a main body having an inner portion and outer surface, the inner portion forming a concave surface for receiving the object to be moved and at least a portion of the outer surface being in contact with the floor when inserted between the floor arid the object to be moved; an apex centrally located about the outer portion from which the inner portion and outer surface converge; a peripheral edge surrounding an outer perimeter of the main body; and a thumb tab upwardly extending from said peripheral edge that is vertically extended from said floor for locating and manipulating the furniture slide assembly between the floor and the object to be moved.
 2. The furniture slide assembly of claim 1 further comprising an arcuate profile formed between said thumb tab and said main body for providing strength to said thumb tab and adhering to the contour of the mover's fingers and/or thumb during insertion between the object and floor.
 3. The furniture slide assembly of claim 2, wherein said thumb tab further comprises upper and lower surfaces having a plurality of curvilinear ribs for facilitating gripping by the mover during installation.
 4. The furniture slide assembly of claim 1 wherein said main body is substantially circular.
 5. The furniture slide assembly of claim 1 wherein said main body is substantially oval.
 6. The furniture slide assembly of claim 1 wherein said main body is substantially rectangular.
 7. The furniture slide assembly of claim 1 further comprising an intermediate surface along the outer surface of the main body, the intermediate surface extending outwardly to the peripheral edge to form a substantially horizontal region, the centrally located apex of the outer surface diverging outwardly to said intermediate surface along said main body at an angle, said angle minimizing the friction between the furniture slide and floor during the movement of the object.
 8. The furniture slide assembly of claim 7 wherein said centrally located apex of the outer surface conically diverges outwardly to said intermediate surface along said main body at an angle, said angle minimizing the friction between the furniture slide and floor during the movement of the object.
 9. The furniture slide assembly of claim 7 wherein said centrally located apex of the outer surface pyramidally diverges outwardly to said intermediate surface along said main body at an angle, said angle minimizing the friction between the furniture slide and floor during the movement of the object.
 10. The furniture slide assembly of claim 1 wherein said main body is substantially circular.
 11. The furniture slide assembly of claim 1 wherein said main body is oval.
 12. The furniture slide assembly of claim 1 wherein said main body is rectangular.
 13. A method of moving an object across a floor in a commercial or residential setting comprising the steps of: grasping a furniture slide assembly by a thumb tab with one hand of an operator contributing to the movement of an object across the floor; raising at least one edge, side, or leg of an object to be moved across of the floor; inserting said furniture slide assembly between said object to be moved and the flooring in which the object is to be moved; axially positioning the furniture slide assembly between the edge, side, or leg of the object to be moved such that the object is substantially centrally positioned over said furniture slide assembly; and lowering the at least one edge, side, or leg of an object to be moved across the floor onto said furniture slide assembly.
 14. The method of moving an object across a floor in a commercial or residential setting of claim 13 wherein the step of axially positioning the furniture slide assembly further comprises manipulating the position rotationally of the furniture slide assembly with said thumb tab such that at least one convex surface extending from the bottom of said furniture slide assembly being in contact with the floor is in a direction most desirable for moving.
 15. A furniture slide assembly for positioning between an object to be moved and the floor upon which the object is moved in a commercial or residential setting comprising: a main body having an inner portion and outer surface, the inner portion forming a concave surface for receiving the object to be moved and said outer surface forming a corresponding convex surface having at least a portion in contact with the floor when inserted between the floor and the object to be moved; an apex centrally located about the outer portion from which the inner portion and outer surface converge; a peripheral edge surrounding an outer perimeter of the main body; a thumb tab having upper and lower surfaces comprising a plurality of curvilinear ribs for facilitating gripping by the mover during installation, said thumb tab upwardly extending from said peripheral edge and vertically extended from said floor for locating and manipulating the furniture slide assembly between the floor and the object to be moved, the thumb tab further comprising an arcuate profile with said main body to provide strength to the construct of said thumb tab; an intermediate surface along the outer surface of the main body, the intermediate surface extending outwardly to the peripheral edge to form a substantially horizontal region, the centrally located apex of the outer surface diverging outwardly to said intermediate surface along said main body at an angle, said angle minimizing the friction between the furniture slide and floor during the movement of the object.
 16. The furniture slide assembly of claim 15 wherein said centrally located apex of the outer surface conically diverges outwardly to said intermediate surface along said main body at an angle, said angle minimizing the friction between the furniture slide and floor during the movement of the object.
 17. The furniture slide assembly of claim 15 wherein said centrally located apex of the outer surface pyramidally diverges outwardly to said intermediate surface along said main body at an angle, said angle minimizing the friction between the furniture slide and floor during the movement of the object.
 18. The furniture slide assembly of claim 17 further comprising a first wedge surface formed by first and second planes along lateral sides of said pyramidally diverging outer surface, said first wedge surface minimizing the friction between the furniture slide assembly and the floor during the movement of the object.
 19. The furniture slide assembly of claim 18 further comprising a second wedge surface formed by first and second planes along longitudinal sides of said pyramidally diverging outer surface, said second wedge surface being substantially orthogonal from said first wedge surface, said first and second wedge surfaces collectively minimizing the friction between the furniture slide assembly and the floor during the movement of the object.
 20. The furniture slide assembly of claim 19 wherein the profile said main body is one of substantially oval and substantially rectangular. 